Senior or Specialist Worker Visa: Requirements, Cost and Process in 2026
What is the Senior or Specialist Worker visa?
- It is for existing employees of the overseas business, rather than new hires recruited for the UK.
- The UK entity must hold a sponsor licence and be linked to the overseas business.
- It is a temporary route, so it does not lead to settlement on its own.
Is the Senior or Specialist Worker visa right for you?
You may be eligible if:
- You are an existing employee of the overseas business
- Your UK entity holds a linked sponsor licence
- You will be paid at least £52,500 or the going rate
- You have 12 months' overseas service, or earn £73,900+
Check the route carefully if:
- You were recruited specifically for the UK role
- There is no genuine link between the two businesses
- The salary sits below the £52,500 floor
- You have neither the service nor the higher salary
What are the Senior or Specialist Worker visa requirements?
A linked, licensed UK sponsor
The UK entity must hold a valid sponsor licence. It must be linked to the overseas business by common ownership or control. It then assigns a Certificate of Sponsorship for the specific role.
Twelve months of overseas service
The employee must usually have worked for the overseas business for at least twelve months. That requirement is waived where the salary reaches the higher-earner threshold of £73,900.
The salary floor
The role must pay at least £52,500 a year, or the going rate for the occupation, whichever is higher. The £52,500 floor applies from 22 July 2025.
An eligible occupation
The role must sit on the list of eligible occupations at the right skill level. There is no English language test and no resident labour market test on this route.
Which documents do you need for a Senior or Specialist Worker visa?
Your documents need to prove three things: the role, the pay and the overseas history. Gather them before the Certificate of Sponsorship is assigned, because the dates must line up.
How do you apply for a Senior or Specialist Worker visa?
Work with our advisors to identify the most suitable GBM visa route for your business. We assess your eligibility, UK expansion plans, and long-term goals to recommend the best option.
You will need to check that the UK entity holds the right sponsor licence. It must also show its link to the overseas business. We would suggest confirming this before any dates are promised to the employee.
Have your passport, Certificate of Sponsorship, and financial documents ready. Applications missing required documents within 10 days of the start date will be automatically rejected.
The UK sponsor assigns a Certificate of Sponsorship for the role. It sets out the job, the salary, and the occupation code.
Before applying, ensure your sponsor is approved for the UK Expansion Worker route. Then complete your visa application online or at a visa centre and pay the required fee.
The employee applies online from outside the UK or switches inside the UK if already here on an eligible route. They then pay the fee and health surcharge.
Wait for a decision - processing typically takes 8 weeks in the UK or 3 weeks outside the UK. Priority services are available: £500 (5 working days) or £1,000 (next working day).
The applicant uses the UK Immigration ID Check app where eligible. Otherwise, they attend a visa application centre for fingerprints and a photograph.
Once your visa is approved, collect it and move to the UK to begin business operations. Set up payroll, HR processes, and compliance measures before your first employee starts work.
You will upload the evidence of salary, overseas service, and the role. It is worth labelling each document clearly so the caseworker can match it.
Processing usually takes about three weeks from outside the UK. A priority service is available for a faster decision when you need one.
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How long does a Senior or Specialist Worker visa take?
A decision usually takes around three weeks from outside the UK. An in-country application can take up to eight weeks. Priority services can shorten that where a start date is fixed.
Cost Breakdown
| Visa application (outside the UK) | £819 up to 3 years / £1,618 over 3 years | About 3 weeks |
|---|---|---|
| Visa application (inside the UK) | £943 up to 3 years / £1,865 over 3 years | About 8 weeks |
| Certificate of Sponsorship | £525 | Paid by the employer |
| Immigration Health Surcharge | £1,035 a year per adult | Paid during the application |
| Immigration Skills Charge | Employer cost, with a narrow ICT exemption | Paid when sponsorship is assigned |
Does the Senior or Specialist Worker visa lead to settlement?
Time on a Senior or Specialist Worker visa does not count towards indefinite leave to remain on its own. If your employee wants to settle here, the usual answer is to switch to the Skilled Worker route. That route does build toward settlement after five years.
We would suggest planning that switch early. The qualifying clock starts only once they are on the Skilled Worker route.
In our clients' own words.
“AY&J Solicitors took us through the entire sponsor licence and intra-company transfer process smoothly. We secured our licence in record time and brought our technical specialist to the UK without delay. Their service was personal, knowledgeable, and highly responsive.”
“After our ILR rejection, AY&J pursued our case through Administrative Review and Judicial Review. The team was open, honest, knowledgeable and attentive to every detail. They kept us informed at every stage, supported us throughout an extremely difficult journey and helped us regain confidence in our case.”
“Fantastic experience with our Global Business Mobility visa application. The team at AY&J guided us through every step and ensured our senior manager transfer went smoothly. Professional, knowledgeable, and responsive throughout.”
Frequently Asked Questions
Moving from ICT
It is worth confirming that your UK entity holds the right sponsor licence. The overseas service record must also be complete. Those two points settle most cases.
Moving from ICT
If your licence already covers the Global Business Mobility routes, no. If it does not, you will need to add the route before you can assign a Certificate of Sponsorship.
Moving from ICT
Yes, but through the separate Graduate Trainee route within Global Business Mobility. It has its own lower salary and a three-month service requirement.
Moving from ICT
Yes. The floor rose to £52,500 from 22 July 2025. A transfer that worked under the old figures may need a fresh salary check.
Moving from ICT
Existing holders can usually extend under the Senior or Specialist Worker rules if they still meet them. It is worth reviewing each case, since the salary floor has risen.
Settlement and switching
Yes. Time on the old Tier 2 ICT route counts towards the cumulative maximum. It is worth adding up the total before an extension is assumed.
Settlement and switching
Once the five-in-six or nine-in-ten limit is reached, the employee must leave or already be on a different route. It is worth mapping the dates early to avoid a gap.
Settlement and switching
Often, yes, where they meet the Skilled Worker requirements and the sponsor can support the switch. We would suggest planning it well before the current visa runs out.
Settlement and switching
The usual path is to switch to the Skilled Worker route, which builds toward settlement after five continuous years. The clock starts only once they are on that route.
Settlement and switching
Not on its own. Time on this route does not count towards indefinite leave to remain. A switch to another route is needed for long-term residence.
Cost and timing
It usually applies, though a narrow exemption can cover some intra-company moves. We would suggest checking your specific transfer before you budget.
Cost and timing
You can hold it for up to five years in any six-year period. That rises to nine years in any ten for high earners paid £73,900 or more.
Cost and timing
Around three weeks from outside the UK, and up to eight weeks in-country. A priority service can shorten that when you have a fixed start date.
Cost and timing
The employer pays the sponsor licence, the Certificate of Sponsorship, and the Immigration Skills Charge. The visa fee and health surcharge are usually the applicant's, though many businesses cover them.
Cost and timing
The visa fee runs from £819 to £1,865 depending on length and where you apply. On top of that sit the £525 Certificate of Sponsorship, the health surcharge, and the Immigration Skills Charge for the employer.
Eligibility
Yes. A partner and children under 18 can apply as dependants, each with their own fee and surcharge. They can work and study here.
Eligibility
No. This route has no English language requirement and no resident labour market test. That is one way it differs from the Skilled Worker route.
Eligibility
Usually, yes, twelve months with the overseas business. That requirement is waived where the salary reaches the higher-earner threshold of £73,900.
Eligibility
No. The route only moves an existing employee of the overseas business. A genuinely new hire would usually go through the Skilled Worker route instead.
Eligibility
In effect, yes. The Senior or Specialist Worker visa replaced the Tier 2 Intra-Company Transfer route in April 2022. It does the same job under the Global Business Mobility framework.
Senior or Specialist Worker Insights
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